VMUG Connect 2026 | Minneapolis

VMUG Connect 2026:

VMUG Connect 2026 in Minneapolis is the first that I will be presenting outside of my local VMUG or VMware Explore. I am looking forward to the event to share my vCommunity story.

The Path to Influence: From VMUG Attendee to vExpert, Blogger, and Conference Speaker

Session Details: If you’ve ever felt the urge to present at a VMUG or start a technical blog but hesitated, this session is for you. At my first VMUG event, I was asking myself, “Can I do this?” My story is about setting a goal and finding fulfillment in the vCommunity by operating under one simple metric: If even a single person learns something new, the effort was worthwhile. Hear the personal story behind my decision to give back, the steps I took, and how you can start your own journey of presenting and contributing.

My presentation schedule for VMUG Connect Minneapolis is finalized. I am involved in the following presentations and co-presentations during the conference.

Consider attending “VMware Hands-On Lab: Monitoring Your Private Cloud Platform with VCF Operations (HOL-2610-03)” if you have not participated in an Expert-Led Workshop (ELW). While we use the HOL as a foundation, the session is driven by attendee questions and interests. We will explore features and configurations not covered in the standard lab guide. 👍🏻

I hope my story gives you a glimpse into what makes the vCommunity so special. I look forward to contributing to the vCommunity for years to come. I encourage you to start your own journey today; the community is ready to welcome you.

I look forward to my first trip to Minneapolis and the opportunity to engage with the vCommunity members in the region. Maybe I will even have a “Jucy Lucy” while in town.

Reflections on VMUG Connect

I recently attended VMUG Connect in Minneapolis. Here are the key takeaways from the event:

Location: Minneapolis is a practical central hub. The city is clean, transit from the airport to the venue is efficient, and the local dining options are excellent.
Content: The technical sessions were well-executed. Presenters covered relevant topics that resonated with the vCommunity.
Certification: A major highlight was the onsite testing. VMUG Advantage members could sit for certification exams at no cost.
Overall Value: From the food to the networking, the event was well-organized. I look forward to attending future sessions in this series.
vCommunity: The event provided an opportunity to engage with the global VMUG community and share technical perspectives with members worldwide.
Hands On Labs: I enjoy leading the Expert-Led Workshops (ELW) within the Hands-on Labs (HOL) at the VMware conferences. While the standard HOL platform is available 24/7 online, these live sessions offer more than the standard modules. Attending an ELW allows us to dive into specific technical questions and explore custom scenarios in person.